Chapter Ten

Brenden was thinking only of her, Paige. Desperation to see his beauty had led him along the familiar dip on Willow Avenue. Only, her bungalow was empty. The pearl Volvo securely nestled in the carport had been misleading.

He clutched the steering wheel, irises burning holes into the lenses of his Maui Jim shades. An aggravated groan escaped him as he turned onto his street. Any other day he would have had time to run a track on Paige. However, today was Katie’s birthday, and he hadn’t seen his niece in three weeks. Therefore, his reunion with the woman running circles in his head would be postponed by at least a few hours.

He cursed, turning into his driveway. He wasn’t exactly in the mood to entertain these unexpected guests crashing his house for Katie’s party. Had he not talked to his father before leaving the base, he wouldn’t have known most of his family and close friends were planning to be at his home this evening.

Aggravation boiled over when he walked past an unknown red Infiniti and Zoe’s yellow Bug. God knows Zoe was a great friend to Katie, but she was forever gawking at him. Brenden cracked his knuckles, tamping down his frustrations over not seeing Paige…and at losing their asset. A long time had passed since he and the team had had an unsuccessful mission.

And this one stung. Only they had not yet been able to determine who was stacking the cards against them. It was time he took Linc’s advice and visited Fajheed to get some answers. It was the only way, but it could wait until after he celebrated Katie’s day.

Within seconds, he disarmed the chirp of the alarm and snuck into the house. He stepped out of his slides, set his bag in the laundry room, and listened to the feminine voices bouncing around. His body relaxed and a smile curved his lips while calculating the surprise that would be on his niece’s face when she saw him.

“Where’s the birthday girl?” he belted, taking inventory of the tulle-covered balloons floating from the ceiling and tables decorated like they were wearing tutus topped with floral centerpieces.

“Uncle Bren!” Katie ran from the kitchen and into his arms.

“Ouch!”

They looked at each other before their attention went to the clang of metal dropping on the granite countertop in the kitchen. He didn’t know if he was awake or dreaming. What he did know was that voice. The fact that he was hearing it in his house, well, seemed too good to be true after his morning.

On Katie’s heels, Brenden entered the kitchen. He froze, watching Paige suck her index finger as she rushed to the sink and left a knife behind on the counter.

“Paige, what happened?” Katie went to her at the sink.

Paige groaned, giving Brenden a quick once-over. She purposely avoided making eye contact before turning on the kitchen faucet and submerging her finger in the stream of water.

“Here, let me help.” Brenden stepped between the two and took Paige’s hand. He forced her to lock onto his gaze and then watched as she drew in a deep breath. An unquestionable heat began licking his flesh just from the feel of her skin against his. “Katie, get the first aid kit from the hall bath.” Paige howled in pain as he squeezed her finger. “It’s okay. The pressure will slow the flow of blood.” She moaned again. “Quit being a girl.” He chuckled.

“I am a girl.” Paige winced when his fingers clamped back down on hers.

“Humph, my girl?” He dipped his head to be eye level while giving her a questioning look.

“Here!” Katie ran back in.

Brenden loosened his grip and examined the cut on her finger. After he was satisfied with the decreased flow of blood, he started digging into the first aid kit. “It’s not that deep. No stitches, but no more knives for you.” He applied ointment and then began to blow on her finger. A smirk crawled onto his face at the sight of lust rolling across her body. He especially noticed the swell of her breasts.

“What happened?” Bellamy walked in, then rushed over to the sink.

“Nothing. I just nicked my finger.”

Brenden pulled medical tape from the first aid kit. “Sliced it up pretty good.”

“Uncle Bren, you do remember Dr. Nichols, right? She’s been counseling me the last few weeks. And this is Ms. Johnson. She’s the director of Financial Aid at Andover.”

He nodded to Bellamy and then focused back on the woman whose hand he held. He traced a finger over her cut then picked up a pair of scissors. “I remember. Paige, right?”

Paige chewed her bottom lip. “Yes, Mr. Jasper.”

“Call me Brenden.”

“Katie and Melissa, come help me finish the patio so we can get dressed.” Bellamy tapped the girls, and they all left the kitchen.

“I’ll be there in a sec,” Paige called behind them. She winced as he took her finger between his once more. “Ow!”

“I’m gone a few days and you’re already getting hurt,” he snickered.

“More like three weeks.”

He paused before applying the bandage. Her tone was both gentle and sad, tugging strings from him in a place he never wanted to exist. A place he never knew existed after knowing Megan’s cunning, cold words upon arrival from a mission. Maybe the words Paige spoke so many nights ago held meaning. At least he hoped they did.

Too many times he witnessed or heard stories of men deploying on loving, farewell promises. Only, when they came back home the women who held their hearts had moved on. Breakups and divorces were at an all-time high in the military, one of the main reasons men within his division didn’t put their hearts on the line. None could afford the one job casualty leading to the infamous Dear John letter.

He once again looked into her beautiful eyes. They held his truth, and right now that was the only thing he needed. “I should’ve activated a homing device on your ass before I left,” he confessed through a lopsided smile.

Her eyes stretched. “You wouldn’t!”

He shrugged, knowing if he had, then he would’ve spent his drive home smiling instead of frowning. A grin spread across his face and then he watched as her chest rose and fell in a heavy manner. He liked the way her cheeks flushed as she bit back a coy grin. Her modesty turned him on because he knew how untamed she could be.

“I…I missed you,” she whispered.

He gave a gentle tug on her puff until their eyes met. “I missed you, too.”

She nibbled her bottom lip as he continued wrapping her finger. “Am I still a complication?”

Conjuring a poker face, he brought her hand eye level and inspected his handiwork, turning her finger a number of ways to make sure the bleeding had stopped. For a moment, he deliberated her words, although he knew the answer. Had known the answer the minute he got dropped off in the mountains.

“No.” He wouldn’t tell her that she had given him more reason to persevere and return home. “You said come back to you.” He traced a loose hair from her face. “Did you mean it or were you just saying it?”

“I meant every word.”

He pulled her in to him with a force beyond his control before his lips pressed against hers. The taste of her sent his body into ecstasy. This woman was intoxicating, sweet, and all he wanted as he demanded her affection in return. The softness of her body and heavenly scent were all he had thought of since he boarded the plane home from his mission.

Now he had it, and this feeling she gave him would not be forsaken for anything. No one else would ever have him this way.

“You do realize you’re mine.” He pecked her lips.

“Since when?” She pulled back, glancing in the direction of the patio.

His face became pinched. “Since the night I found you and that turd on a date.” Paige giggled and wrapped her hands around his waist. “Has he called or tried to see you?”

She gave a shy shrug. “Why?”

“Don’t fuck with me, Paige. And why do you keep looking around?”

“He’s called twice, texted once, and because I’m not sure how Katie will respond to this.” She moved her hand between them. “She and I have become close, but she needs you right now and that’s a whole nother conversation.”

“Uncle Bren,” Katie’s call forced them apart before she entered the kitchen. “Could you make sure the fire pit is set before you get all snazzy?”

He laughed, lifting his ball cap and running his hands through his hair. He stepped toward Katie, refitting his cap before hauling her into an affectionate headlock. For a second he turned his gaze back on Paige. She cared about his niece, and there was a genuine expression of happiness plastered on her face. He became even more content, and some weird bubbly feeling started floating in his stomach.

“Stay clear of all cutting utensils, Dr. Nichols,” he teased, making Katie erupt in laughter as they started out of the kitchen. “You may force me to play doctor again, and next time I might not be so nice.” He winked and turned the corner.

Brenden relished the ringing laughter escaping Paige. Although, if he were to be honest, the next time he was between her legs he had no intention of being nice. She was so damn pretty and sexy as sin, all fresh-faced and casual in her tight little jeans. They hugged her ass the way only he should.

Since that fated night on New Year’s, he’d spent damn near three months obsessing over her. Now he’d found her barefoot in his kitchen. Nice thoughts vacated his mind, and he knew every damn devilish desire he had would be fulfilled the next time they were together. The pulsing ache that shot to his cock when he kissed her would be tamed within the tight walls of her delectable pussy.

“I’ll be your best patient, Lieutenant Colonel Jasssper.”

His stride halted at her taunting words. Even without seeing her face, he knew there was a giant smile. A smirk curled his lips as he shook his head. Oh yeah, she was definitely getting all of him tonight. His dick would erase that sassy talk and make her submit to him again.

“Just make sure you take all the doctor’s orders.” He chuckled, hearing her gasp, and then stepped outside to the patio.